Monitoring the socio-economic impacts of Marine Protected Areas: report

Annex 5. General Public Structured Interview Guide

Structured Interview Guide: General Public

Date:

Location:

Personal information

Gender: Males / Female

Age: 16- 24 / 25 - 34 / 35 - 44 / 45 - 54 / 55 - 65 / 65+

Occupation

Do you live in the area? Yes / No

How long have you lived in the area?

If you've moved here, what brought you to the area?

If you're visiting, what brought you to the area?

For those living in the area - do you know anyone who works in the marine environment or associated industries?

Questions about MPAs

How familiar are you with Marine Protected Areas (MPAs)?

-Wait for response then read out following definition-

Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are areas of sea that are designated to ensure protection of some of the most vulnerable marine animals and habitats (e.g. marine mammals, seabirds and seagrass beds) and important historic sites (e.g. ship wrecks).

MPAs are protected under Scottish and UK legislation and are managed to reduce the impact of human activities on marine animals and/or habitats. This management can restrict some industries, such as fishing, shipping, renewable developments, oil and gas, which can have both positive and negative economic impacts to different people and businesses.

To what extent do you support or oppose the creation of MPAs in Scotland?

Do you know of any MPAs in the surrounding area? If so, which ones?

Have you noticed any changes to the community in recent years? Could you give details?

Do you think any of these changes are due to MPAs?

Any further comments?